Just Harry Part 2
by bond2012
Summary: An unplanned part 2 to my orignial story 'Just Harry'


Just Harry Part 2

(for Crimson Mage who asked so nicely for a part 2) bond2012 x

"Ronald!" Hermione called. A grumpy, tired looking Ron stumbled into the room and mumbled something about being asleep.  
"Can you make sure Hugo has gone to bed please while I change Rosy's nappy?" Ron grumbled again and slouched out of the small nursery room. He flicked the light switch on and waited as the upstairs hallway flickered into view. A small boy with brown hair was sitting on the floor by the stairs, his arms and legs were crossed and he had a mischevious smile playing round his lips.  
"C'mon Hugo, bedtime." Ron said in the most friendly voice he could muster through his sleepiness.  
"No." the little boy stuck out his tongue. Ron was too tired to play his games so walked forward to pick him up; but the boy was too fast for him and he jumped up and ran down the stairs.  
"HUGO!" Ron shouted after the retreating figure. He followed him downstairs quickly. When he reached the downstairs hallway, the boy was gone.  
"Hugo?" Ron called "Where's he gone?" he wondered aloud.  
Ron pushed the living room door open to see the lounge exactly as he had left it. He moved on to the dining room, he ducked down to check under the table and heard a rustling in the kitchen as he did so. Smirking Ron stood up and tiptoed to the kitchen.

The door was slightly ajar, he peeked through the gap to see his son hiding under the breakfast bar shaking with silent laughter. Ron stepped back slowly. "I wonder where Hugo has gone?" he said loudly in mock confusion. He heard a all noise escape the boy. "Oh dear! I guess I'll just have to go to bed and find him in the morning..." He was abut to burst through the kitchen door when Hermione yelled.  
"RONALD. Now is not the time to be playing games! Get Hugo into bed!" The momentary distraction was all Hugo needed to slip through his fathers legs and escape back upstairs. Cursing , Ron followed him. He saw the boy slip into his parents room. He made after him but Hermione burst out of the nursery saying in a quiet voice, so as not to wake the baby, "Honestly, do I have to do everything around here?!" She then proceeded into her's and Ron's bedroom, scooped the giggling Hugo off the floor and carried him to bed. Ron slunk stroppily onto the grumbled under his breath and rubbed his stinging eyes. Then he closed them and lay back on the pillow. He was just drifting off to sleep when Hermione came into the room and said "Hugo's door is broken, I need to go and lock up, can you deal with it?" At that she left the room and left Ron with no choice but the obey his instructions.

He stood up slowly and rubbed his head. Then he picked up his wand from the dresser and headed to his eldest child's room. A quick 'reparo' left him free of any further responsibility and so he headed downstairs to find his wife and tell her he had fixed the door. Hermione was waitin by the kitchen door trying to tempt the cat in with a small piece of fish. Ron walked over and saw the ginger Crookshanks mewing and purring but refusing to enter the house. Hermione looked as exhausted as he felt. She had bags under her eyes and her hair was brushed back off her sighed and closed the door. "Fine, you can stay out all night." she then turned and curled herself into Ron's stroked her back gently. She spoke into his shirt.  
"D'you reckon we'll get any sleep this week?" Ron laughed "Well, Hugo has gone to bed and Rosy is sleeping much better now so...yeah i reckon we will." Hermione buried her head further into his chest. "Good, because I think one more sleepless night might finish me off." Ron smirked "Me too."

The couple headed up to bed and their heads had barely hit the pillows before they were fast asleep. Ron was exhausted, his new job was very demanding and his children often kept him awake. He hadnt slept for two days because he had been on night shift and Hermione heeded his help during the day. He was dreaming peacefully and thanking the Lord secretly that he was able to sleep when a knock on the door woke him. His eyes opened quickly and he rolled over to look at Hermione. She too was awake and she looked terrified. Since the war, neither felt comfortable with late night callers, their roles in the destruction of Voldemort were well known by the good and the bad...

"I'll get it." Ron whispered. Hermione nodded her eyes wide with fear. Ron clambered out of bed and grabbed his then opened the bedroom door slowly. The hallway was dark and he had to feel around the wall for the light switch. He clicked it on and watched the house illuminate. He reached for his wand and held it tight in his sweaty hand. He tiptoed downstairs slowly, his feet stuck to the cold laminate flooring with each step and before he knew it he was facing the door. A second knock made him jump. He began to unlock the door and braced hiself for impact as he opened it slowly.

On the doorstep, in the freezing night air, stood Harry Potter. He looked well. He wasn't as thin as he used to be and his skin was clean and there was colour in his cheeks. He smiled at Ron. It took a moment for him to take in the scene.  
"Harry?" he stuttered "Yeah." Harry said. "Can I come in?"  
"Sure..." Ron replied standing aside so his old best friend could enter the house.

Harry had made it very clear a year after the end of the war that Ron and Hermione were not to contact him. His harsh letter had made Hermione very upset and Ron really angry. They had written to each other since, but only to update on each others lives briefly and had not seen each other for 4 years. His sudden appearance on their doorstep had thrown Ron and he didnt know how to react.

"Er..." was all he could muster as he led Harry to the living room. Hermione poked her head over the staircase railing. She looked terrified and Ron saw her expression change from fear to disbelief as she caught sight of Harry. She hurried down the stairs quickly and made her way towards him. Ron stepped out of the way and waited. To his suprise Hermione did not embrace Harry she threw a heavy slap across his face and began screaming at him. Harry looked shocked and kept throwing furtive glances at Ron as Hermione rebuked him. Ron began to see the funny side and chuckled quietly to himself. He then threw his arms around his wife and dragged her into a looked at Harry who lanced back. He looked sad and guilty.

Hermione had told Harry off good and proper. She had told him that his letter had been hurtful and selfish. She told him that if he wanted to be a muggle then that was fine, but to ignore and send away those who loved him was cruel. She told him that he wasnt the only one who had suffered during the war and the least he could do would be to help support them through the tough times. Harry had stayed silent through her rant and only after she had finished her telling and was settled down on the sofa next to Ron with a steaming mug of tea did he finally speak.

Harry stared down into his mug as he spoke, he looked as though he was scared to look up in case Hermione started yelling again. He explained,  
"I'm sorry, both of you. I needed time to grieve and I was so angry at magic and how it screwed up people's lives that i decided i wanted to get away from it. I shouldnt have sent you away. I realise that now..."  
"What made you come back mate?" asked Ron "Lupin, he made me see sense." Harry said, looking up for the first time. Hermione scowled.  
"Look mate, in future, if you need some time to yourself, just tell us. You didnt need to isolate yourself from everyone and tell them all to get lost. We would have left you alone if thats what you wanted." said Ron "I know. Sorry." Harry said.  
"Have you got somewhere to stay?" asked Hermione. Her voice was cold but her face was less angry.  
"Err..I sold my flat and bought a one closer to here. I just thought i'd visit..." Harry said nervously "You thought you'd visit at 2 in the morning?!" Ron asked incredulously. Harry laughed.  
"Yeah sorry about that..." Ron smiled. "Its fine, i'll get you back."

The friends talked until the sun was rising.  
"Crap!" said Ron suddenly "I'm meant to be at work in an hour!"  
Hermione pulled the same expression she pulled when she was worried about a homework mark back at Hogwarts.  
"Ah well..."Ron laughed.  
"I'm going to head home," Harry said "I need to ... apologise to some other people."  
Hermione lead him to the door as Ron trundled back upstairs to bed.  
They said good bye and Harry promised to visit again.

Once out on his own he thought about his friends. It was funny how, no matter how badly he treated them, they still missed him and wanted him back. Harry walked home,the early morning September cold biting his nose and cheeks. "I guess It'll be ok now." Harry thought aloud as he unlocked the door to his flat.

1 week later

"Bye!" Remus called to his son as he boarded the Hogwarts express for the first time. He watched until the blue hair was lost in a crowd of other students. The train began to move slowly and he waved to his son in a carriage. He waited until the train was out of sight and all that was left was the lingering pufts of steam hovering like clouds. Blinking back tears, he turned to leave and was suprised to see Harry Potter waiting behind him, smiling.  
"Harry?!" he said surprised at the sudden appearance of the young man.  
"Hey Remus." Harry said.  
"Its good to see you." said Lupin, he wasnt lying, the man looked well and it was a pleasant surprise to see him returned to the Wizard world.  
"You too. Remus, i've got some good news for you." Harry said, "Yes?" Remus replied, curious.  
"Well, I know you've been struggling recently." Harry started, Lupin interupted " Kingsley is doing his best to remove the anti-werewolf legislation laws but its taking some time, I'm sure things will be fine soon."  
"Yes, well thats what I wanted to talk to you about. I've got you a job." Lupin was shocked. How had he done it? Lupin couldn't get any jobs due to those laws and Harry was right, he had been struggling.  
"W-where?" he asked "Hogwarts, McGonagall has appointed you the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher." Lupin frowned,  
"Harry, parents wont want-"  
"Who cares?! Remus,nobody will object to you getting this job. Trust me."  
"Harry, I dont think-"  
"Please Lupin."

3 DAYS LATER

Remus Lupin was sitting in the Great Hall. He was sitting eating his bowl of porridge mildly and watching his son laughing with some other first years over on the Gryiffidor table. As if he knew he was being watched, Teddy turned around and smiled at his father. Remus smiled back.

He had just returned to his porridge when the owl post arrived, he didnt look up, there was never anything for him. He had nobody to write to him, except perhaps Harry and he was too busy sorting out his own life to write to Lupin to check on his. To his surprise a large Tawny owl landed next to his plate and dropped a thick brown envelope on the table before taking off again. Lupin looked down at the package and began tearing open the top. He tipped the contents onto the table. Out fell a copy of the Daily Prophet and a letter. Lupin proceeded to the letter first:

"Dear Remus,

Sorry i havent written recently,i've been quite busy. I was glad to hear Teddy is in Gryffindor and tell him I say 'Well Done!'. I hope your new job is going well. I have enclosed tomorrows Daily Prophet because there are some articles I think you will find interesting. Firstly look at the Headline."

Lupin looked down at the copy of the prophet to see a picture of Harry smiling up at him. The headline read:  
"HARRY POTTER RETURNS; BECOMES HEAD OF MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT."  
Lupin smiled, at least Harry's life was back on track. He had a good job now and the responsibility would be good for him. He returned to the letter:

"Now look at page 5, I think you'll enjoy this one more."

Lupin turned the pages gently and saw immediately what Harry was talking about,  
'MINISTER BANISHES ALL ANTI-HALF BREED EMPLOYMENT LAWS'  
Lupin beamed. "Finally.." he muttered cheerfully.

The letter concluded by wishing Lupin a pleasant year at Hogwarts and told him to keep in touch.

Remus Lupin enjoyed his third day back at Hogwarts more than he should have. For once, everyone that he loved was happy, he was free from discriminative laws and he could keep an eye on his son as he made his journey into a wizards life.

Meanwhile, Harry Potter was also happy. He was glad to be back. 


End file.
